When He Forgets
by Bremol
Summary: Shirley's affected by one of Denny's episodes and decides to recreate a night from their past.


Shirley walked into Denny's office, annoyed at his latest stunt. "Denny."

Turning in his chair, Denny stared at her. "That's my name. Who are you?"

The absence of recognition on his face told Shirley Denny wasn't up to one of his tricks and she felt her heart breaking. "Denny, it's me. Shirley."

Denny continued to stare at her blankly. "Hello, Shirley. Are you here to ask me to be your lawyer?"

Shirley swallowed hard before answering. "No. I'm sorry. I must have wandered into the wrong office," she whispered then turned and rushed from his office, nearly knocking Alan down in her haste.

Alan blinked in surprise. Having caught the lights glinting off the tears on Shirley's cheeks, he stood staring after her then turned to look into Denny's office. What could possibly have happened? Shirley could handle Denny better than anyone and she certainly wasn't prone to tears, especially at the office. He was torn between going after her and going to Denny. A thought crossed his mind as he stood trying to decide what to do…and suddenly he knew where he needed to go.

Denny looked up and smiled at his friend. "Alan."

"Denny, what just happened?"

Denny frowned. "Nothing happened, at least not in the last hour or so."

Alan felt his heart sink…he'd been right. Dear god no wonder the woman had been in tears. "Have you seen Shirley lately?"

"Shirley? No. Not since this morning's meeting."

"Denny." Alan said his friend's name quietly as he sat down. "She was just here."

Denny stared at his friend. "No she wasn't."

"Yes, she was. She nearly knocked me down as she rushed out of here. She was crying, Denny."

Turning in his chair, Denny stared out the windows. "My god. I never thought she'd be the first person I forgot. She was crying?"

"Yes, Denny. You need to go to her. I don't think anyone else can help her because none of us understand how she feels. You're the only one who's been in her shoes."

"I've never worn her shoes, her feet are too small."

"Denny."

BL

Denny found Shirley standing and staring out her windows. He could see that she was still crying from the reflection of her face in the glass. Moving fully into her office, he closed the door quietly behind him before walking over to stand beside her. "I remember the first time I saw you. I'd never seen a woman so confident in herself and that made you more beautiful to me than just that sexy body."

Shirley turned to look at him. "You forgot me," she whispered, fresh tears adding to the tracks on her cheeks.

Holding out his arms, Denny held her close when she stepped into his embrace. "I'm so sorry. I never dreamed you would be the first I would forget. I remember now…all of it."

"I hate that we both know what's in store."

"So do I, but I'm also very glad that you're here _because_ you know."

Moving back, Shirley took his hand and led him to her sofa. "Sit and hold me for a while."

"Anything for you, always."

As she settled against his chest, Shirley felt her tears return as she whispered, "Always."

Denny held her hand, his other arm wrapped around her as he held her close and rested his face against her hair. He'd missed holding her, having the scent of her shampoo filling his nose. He could feel her tears soaking through his shirt and silently cursed the disease slowly eating away at his brain because it had made the strongest woman he knew cry.

Shirley smiled sadly when she heard Denny start to sing, _You Are My Sunshine_. He had always done this years ago when they were together and they would sit cuddled on the sofa. It had made her feel safe then, and if she were honest with herself, it still did. As she listened to him, a plan began to form in her mind.

It was time she stopped acting like their time together had meant nothing to her.

BL

Denny frowned when the doorbell rang. It was late and he wasn't expecting anyone. If it was Alan wanting a sleep over, he would tell him to go home…he wasn't in the mood.

It wasn't Alan he found on the other side of the door when he opened it.

"Shirley?" he frowned.

"Are you going to make me stand out in the cold?" she asked with a smile.

"No." Denny shook his head and let her in, frowning when he noticed the bag she carried. "Shirley, why are you here?"

"I came for a sleep over."

"A sleep over? You want to spend the night with me?"

Shirley unbuttoned her coat and smiled at the sound of Denny's breath catching. She'd spent the better part of the day, after he'd left her office, hunting for a dress that was close to the one she'd been wearing the first time he took her dancing…the first night they'd spent together.

"The dress," he whispered.

"It's one I found today that was as close as I could get to the original."

Eyes shining with the memory, Denny helped her off with her coat and hung it up. "So am I to take this to mean you're trying to recreate that night?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

Holding out his hand, Denny smiled when she took it. "No. I think I might even be able to find a cd with the songs that played that night."

Shirley smiled as she followed him into the living room, waiting while he flipped through the cds he had then smiled when he found the one he'd been looking for. As she watched him, she thought of earlier today in his office when he'd forgotten her and felt her eyes water.

Denny pushed play on the cd player and turned to find Shirley watching him with tears in her eyes. Holding out his hand, he pulled her into his arms and gently began to sway her to the music. "I remember how soft you were that night. You weren't nervous about what I intended the dancing to lead to. Your perfume, the smell of your hair. I remember singing along with some of the songs, the feel of your hand in mine."

"I remember feeling how aroused you were."

Denny looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "Of course. Denny Crane."

Shirley laughed then laughed some more when he twirled her out then back in again, settling her body close to his. "I don't remember that."

"I didn't do that then. I didn't want you away from me."

"And now?"

"You came on your own tonight. You brought a bag to stay the night. I don't have to worry that you're going to leave."

"You were worried I'd leave that night?"

"I was sure you'd be in my bed. I wasn't sure you'd stay."

"But I did. I couldn't have left."

"But you did," he whispered.

"Yes, I did, but not that night."

Denny held her a bit closer and rested his head against hers as he softly began to sing the words to the song that was playing. She still felt the same in his arms, even smelled the same which made him wonder if she still wore the same perfume and used the same shampoo.

"I do still wear that perfume sometimes. Tonight was one of those times."

"For me?"

"Yes, for you. I knew you'd be smelling me." She laughed when he moaned.

"You like to torture me, don't you?"

"You enjoy it."

"Humph," he huffed. "Shirley?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want me to take, well, my little blue pill?"

"No, I don't."

"So it really is just a sleep over."

"That's not what I said, Denny." Shirley leaned back and looked up at him. "I want you to wait and see how things go for us. If just being together isn't enough, then you can take the little blue pill. I came to recreate our first night together and that's what will happen, I just want it to happen naturally if it can. Okay?"

"You don't want me to be a, sprinter, I think it was you called me."

"You know I have to get my digs in, but yes, you're right. The little blue pill will make things quicker than I want." Caressing his cheek, she smiled. "You made love to me so slowly that night that I thought I was going to lose my mind. And you were tender and gentle. That's what I want tonight, Denny. I want _my_ Denny, not the Denny you've turned into over the years."

"You don't like me much now days, do you?"

"I don't like the man power turned you into, no, but I still see some of the you I loved in there…he's just in hiding most of the time."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight he's here with me."

"And he's going to make love to you the way he did all those years ago."


End file.
